I woke up that morning excited. At 10 weeks and 4 days pregnant we were scheduled for our first ultrasound. We were going to see our baby for the first time! I got up early and followed the directions the nurse had given me at my last appointment, which included drinking two full 8oz glasses of water... and then NOT using the bathroom. AT ALL. Why they think pregnant women need any help filling their bladder is beyond me...

After successfully gorging myself on water, we noticed we had a flat tire. I waited, not very patiently, for Kaiwi to patch the leak. {Insert pregnant woman springing a leak joke here} Well, I finally got on the table for the ultrasound, and the nurse noticed how full my bladder was. She told me to go use the bathroom and to never drink water before an ultrasound again. That tip came in handy, since we ended up having about six ultrasounds with Isaac. Isaac is our first child, so the whole experience was new to us. We watched as Isaac moved and jumped around. The nurse pointed out all the good things about him- his hands, feet, his strong heartbeat. She never mentioned anything was wrong, and we, not knowing what to look for, never suspected anything. I am grateful to her for not telling us anything at the time. She allowed us to enjoy seeing Isaac for the first time without worry or sorrow. Whether she did it on purpose or just didn't have the heart to tell us, I am grateful. We sat in the exam room looking at Isaac's pictures while we waited for the doctor. At one point Kaiwi pointed out how Isaac's head looked flat. I agreed it looked weird, but didn't worry much more about it. Then the doctor finally came in. This is where it gets hard...Our doctor came in the room, shook our hands, and told us he had looked at Isaac's pictures. I remember thinking, "Isn't he cute?", as if anyone could really tell any distinctive features on a 10 week old baby. The doctor sat down, looked at us, and said, "There is a problem..." A problem?Everything stopped. I mentally braced myself for what he was going to tell us, thinking that whatever it was, we would deal with it and do whatever we needed to do. I don't think I braced myself enough. He told us to look closer at Isaac's head, and to notice how the top portion of it wasn't there. He called it Anencephaly, which basically means "no brain", and said that Isaac would not live. He gave me a hug while saying several times, "I'm so sorry". I was still processing..."No brain? How can that be? He was moving, his heart is beating! Doesn't the brain control those things? I think this doctor is wrong. Maybe our baby will still live. Maybe he will be handicapped, I don't care, I'll take care of him..." It's amazing how much can go through your brain in a short amount of time, but the doctor wasn't done giving us more to deal with. Now, I understand that he, being a doctor, had to present us with all the "options". I wasn't ready for it, though, and I still can't believe I had to hear it. I honestly don't even remember exactly how the doctor put it, because I don't think he ever used THE word. He didn't have to though, because all three of us understood what he was saying. ABORTIONI am pro-life. My husband is pro-life. I never, NEVER, thought I would ever have to make that choice. I never thought it would even be a choice, but as soon as our doctor presented termination to us, we had to give him an answer. We had to make a choice. I think I was in shock, and maybe Kaiwi was as well. I looked at him and he looked at me and neither of us knew what to say. Our doctor saw our struggle, I think, and gave us another option- come back in one week for another ultrasound to be sure. He made it clear though that by another week I would be nearing the end of the first trimester, and that abortion would be harder in the second. We made the appointment for the next week. I held it together until we got out of the door of the building, and then I lost it. Kaiwi had to guide me through the parking lot to the car. I cried all the way home. As soon as we got home and talked about it, we both said to each other right away that we didn't want an abortion. The next few days were rough, having to tell family and a few close friends. Kaiwi went back to work but I couldn't. I took the rest of the week off. To those of you who prayed for us in the very beginning of our finding out, I want to thank you. I don't know if I have ever expressed enough how much your prayers helped us. I honestly felt your prayers. God gave me a strength and a peace that is beyond my understanding and I know it was on behalf of your prayers. Thank you. There is much more to share about Isaac's story, but it would be too long to fit into one post, so I have several more to post soon.

Isaiah 43:2- "When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee."

We had just had our first ultrasound the week before, and was told that our baby had Anencephaly and would not live. It was devastating. The doctor presented the choice of abortion, but at the time we weren't quite able to give an answer. He told us to come back in a week, take a second ultrasound look, and then talk about it further. The week of waiting was difficult. We didn't expect our second appointment to be any different of a diagnosis, but it didn't stop us from praying. We knew without a doubt that the Lord could heal our baby, but we also felt that it was not part of his plan to do so. We arrived at the clinic and started the ultrasound. As hard as it was knowing that Isaac would only be in our lives for a short time it was still exciting to see him on the screen. He had such a strong heartbeat and was very active! He seemed to enjoy bouncing around. We asked for more pictures and then went to the exam room to wait for the doctor. I'm not sure what answer the doctor expected us to give him, but the choice was not a difficult one for us. We told him right away that we didn't want an abortion. I remember him saying something like "Ok, so you want to continue this pregnancy like normal?", asking us to confirm what he had understood. We said yes, so he proceeded to measure my belly and listen to Isaac's heartbeat. He then had to warn us about a few things we might have to face with my pregnancy. For the most part, nothing would be much different. However, there would be a higher risk for miscarriage or premature birth. Scary as it was, we knew that God would take Isaac home when the time was right. He also told us that Isaac might be smaller, and that I would most likely have to have a C-section. I didn't like that part. The thought of being cut open while awake somehow doesn't appeal to me, but I would do what I had to. There wasn't too much more to discuss. At the time I was healthy, and Isaac was as healthy as he could be, so that pretty much concluded our appointment. Our doctor did refer us to the perinatal so they could do another more in-depth ultrasound to see if there was anything he missed. He also had us do genetic counseling to see if this was genetic. If it was, it would be something we could face again with future pregnancies. The thought of it happening again was absolutely horrifying, so I put it out of my mind and decided not to worry about it until I had to worry about it. We made the appointment with the perinatal, went home, and life went on. It helped to go back to work and keep busy. We had to discuss how much longer I should keep my job, though, with the higher risk of preterm labor always in our minds. Throughout my whole pregnancy, I learned a lot about FAITH. When you find yourself in a position that there is no solution for, you have a few options. 1) Worry 2) Pray. We did a lot of both, but we really just had to learn to take things a day at a time. There was nothing we could do, nothing the doctors could do. Everyday we got up and Isaac was still with us was a miracle, and I had to learn to focus on that instead of worrying about what was coming in the future. That doesn't mean that I never worried, I did. A LOT. I worried all day, every day about going into labor. I worried about not being able to get a hold of Kaiwi if I did go into labor. I worried about a C-section, I worried... and I prayed. I prayed for God to keep Isaac with us for as long as possible, I prayed that Kaiwi would be home when Isaac was born, I prayed that God would take Isaac if he was ever in pain. Looking back on everything, I had no reason to worry about ANY of those things. God worked so many miracles, and everything was so perfectly timed that there was no way we could deny that He was in control.

Hebrews 13:5b"...for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."

After our second doctor's visit, and our decision not to abort our child, we made an appointment with the perinatal. This was the third appointment and ultrasound within two weeks for us. I had no problem with extra ultrasounds. Knowing that we might not have much time with Isaac made each one special, because we were able to see him alive and growing.

I remember seeing Isaac on the screen at the perinatal and thinking he looked so much bigger, even only a week later. Its amazing how God creates life, and how there are so many details that goes into pregnancy. Children truly are a miracle.

Our OB had told us already that Isaac had Anencephaly, which is a neural tube defect. As a baby develops, if the neural tube doesn't close properly, it can result in Anencephaly, where the skull and brain fails to develop. There is a brain stem, which is what allows the heart to beat and organs to function, but after birth children with Anencephaly usually only live a matter of hours, or are stillborn. Anencephaly can be genetic, or it has been thought to be from a lack of folic acid. We were hoping to find out more about why this may have happened.

We started our appointment with a nurse. As she was looking Isaac over she confirmed that Isaac's head was indeed missing a skull. Everything else looked normal, though. As we continued our appointment with our perinatal doctor, he found that Isaac did NOT have Anencephaly like we were told. Instead, it was an amniotic band that attached to Isaac's head very early on in the pregnancy, probably even before we knew I was pregnant. Since this happened so early, it hindered the development of his skull.

The question that both Kaiwi and I shared was, "So what does this mean?"

We had no idea what an amniotic band was. Our doctor told us it happens when a layer of the amniotic sac breaks or tears, resulting in strands floating around inside the amnion. These bands can attach to the baby, but usually its an arm or a leg that is affected. We were told to think of it as a rubber band. If you have a tight rubber band around one of your limbs for long enough, it can cut off the circulation and your limb could die. Many times a child can still survive from amniotic bands, depending on where it has attached itself to. A child could be born with as little as a mark on his body, or a missing limb. This is why it is commonly referred to as Amniotic Band Syndrome. Every case is different in severity and outcome. Unfortunately our case was very severe, and there was nothing that could be done.

There was some good news in all of this. Meeting with the geneticist we learned that amniotic bands are not genetic. They are rare and random, and we should not have to worry about it again. Its like winning a lottery ticket. Could it happen again? Yes, but we have as much chance of it reoccurring as anyone else does.

Our perinatal told us much of the same things as our OB did. The pregnancy is no risk to me, other than that I have a higher risk of preterm delivery. Isaac would grow and develop, but he could be smaller than normal. One slight risk was that if he didn't have the brain function to swallow some amniotic fluid like babies normally do, I could develop an excess of it. Thankfully that never happened though.

So we left the doctor and life continued on. My pregnancy went along really well, despite our situation. I can honestly say that I experienced hardly any negative pregnancy symptoms. No swollen ankles, no heartburn, no cravings {except for a few times I had to drive down the road for some chow mein}. There was some tiredness and some morning sickness in the beginning, but as long as I had food in my stomach I was fine. I don't tell you this to brag. I honestly think the Lord blessed me with an easy pregnancy physically because it was difficult emotionally.

Well, one weekend when I was about 14 weeks along I got up early in the morning to go to the bathroom. I was spotting. I woke up Kaiwi and we drove to the ER. I remember thinking on the way, "I knew this was a possibility but I'm not ready! It's too soon!" I really thought we were about to lose Isaac. Well, after a few hours in the hospital and yet another ultrasound {yay!}, the spotting stopped and Isaac was perfectly fine. The doctors there told us that it was a possibility that I could miscarry, but there was no way of knowing for sure and nothing they could do. They told me to watch for cramping and spotting but that I was fine. We went home, I took it easy for the rest of the weekend, and nothing else happened.

After that the rest of my pregnancy was pretty much normal. I had all the regular doctor visits, and at each one our OB commented on Isaac's strong heartbeat and how healthy he was despite his condition. This led us into the topic of organ donation.

Kaiwi and I were both in agreement that donating Isaac's organs was something we definitely wanted to do. If there was any way we could help someone else's child in need we wouldn't hesitate to do it. We were told by our OB that Isaac had to get to 37ish weeks and at least 6lbs. That in itself would be a stretch, but we we knew it would be no problem for God to accomplish if it was His purpose.

At 32 weeks we had another ultrasound at the perinatal. Isaac was so big! We watched him as he moved around, not quite as energetically as before since he was running out of room. The nurse pointed out that he had a little bit of hair around his ears, and that he was doing practice breathing motions. We watched him as his chest expanded and contracted just as if he was breathing. It was at this ultrasound as we watched him that Kaiwi came up with the name Isaac. I loved it. From then on that was his name.

We took a good look at all of Isaac's organs, and they were all perfect and healthy. We talked with the perinatal about donation and he gave us resources on how to get the process started. He reminded us again that donation would be a stretch, but that if we could do it it would be a huge blessing to someone else.

The day after our ultrasound I took a plane to go see my family and to be in my sister's wedding. I had no idea at the time that Isaac would come just two weeks later. If I had known I probably wouldn't have been travelling, but God had everything worked out, and His timing was perfect.

A year ago now, President's Day, to be exact, was when Kaiwi and I had our very first ultrasound for our very first child. I was 10 weeks along, but already at that early stage the doctors could tell that Isaac would not live. He had an amniotic band wrap around the top portion of his head which hindered him from developing a skull.

Our doctor had presented abortion to us, but we said no. We continued with the pregnancy despite the outcome. A life, no matter how short, is always worth protecting.

The first few days after finding out was very hard. Our lives had changed so dramatically in such a short time. So many questions and fears arose. We were put into a position of complete helplessness- there was nothing we could do to save Isaac, and nothing doctors could do.

We had many concerns about the pregnancy, but even more about Isaac's delivery. Two out of three doctors we saw had told us that I would have to deliver by C-section. This is something I absolutely dreaded. I resigned myself to the fact that I would have to go through with it, but I always held out hope for the possibility of delivering without it. I knew God could make it happen if that was His will.

We also had to watch for miscarriage or preterm labor. We were told, numerous times, that we probably would not make it to full term. This was also a huge stress on both of us. Every day I had to think about the possibility of going into labor wherever I was. Kaiwi and I had to figure out what the best way was to get to my sister's wedding in July, or if I should even go. I would be about 8 months along at the time of Jamie's wedding. I couldn't imagine missing my sister's wedding for anything, so we decided to plan for it and pray about it, and see what we could do when the time got closer.

We also wanted to be able to donate Isaac's organs if at all possible. Our perinatal told us that in order to donate, Isaac would have to be about 6 lbs and around 36-37 weeks. This was so his organs could be fully developed and healthy enough to be donated. We had several ultrasounds to check his development and his organs, and every part of him- except where the amniotic band was- was perfectly strong and healthy. It was a goal of ours to be able to donate his organs. It was not THE goal of our pregnancy, though. The first and most important goal was to cherish and to care for the life God had given to us.

Even though we already had a lot of concerns about Isaac's birth, the one I most dreaded was that Kaiwi was set to be deployed a few weeks before my due date. Just the thought of him being gone and never being able to hold or see his firstborn child tore me apart. I knew I would have family there with me even if Kaiwi couldn't be, but I still didn't think I could get through it without him. We talked about possibly having a C-section before Kaiwi had to leave. Our doctors said it would be possible, but advised against it, saying that a cesarean that early would give me more risks for future pregnancies. So we dropped that thought, and Kaiwi talked to a few of his commanders on base to see what could be done.

We realized that we could only plan for what we knew, and leave the rest to God. So, since Kaiwi was still set to be deployed, we had planned for me to go to Jamie's wedding and stay home there to deliver. I'd be with family and I wouldn't have to travel back across the states while I was getting closer to my due date. I called the base and asked about how to get our insurance to cover the delivery in Wisconsin. I was basically told I had to wait until I got there and then make calls to see what they could do. Chalk up one more unknown to worry about.

Well, life went on. We had all these things weighing on our minds but knew we couldn't do a thing about any of them, so we just prayed. If anyone could work things out, it would be God. We also know a lot of you had been praying for us at this time. We want to thank you SO much. I really can't express the deep gratitude we have towards you for praying.

We also want you to know that prayer DOES make a difference. We have a powerful God that WANTS us to bring our worries and requests to Him...

So, because of the timing of everything- how far along I was, Kaiwi's deployment date, Jamie's wedding- it seemed like when I left for Jamie's wedding that was it. Showtime. Kaiwi would be gone, I would be with family waiting to deliver. I dreaded it. Sorry Jamie, nothing personal, but I dreaded the day I would fly home for your wedding and leave Kaiwi here. I just wanted each day to go as slowly as possible.

Well, it was maybe a few weeks before leaving for Jamie's wedding that God lifted my biggest burden. Kaiwi came home from work and said something like, "Now, don't get too excited, but they may not be sending me." Ok, first, tears of joy. Second, you can't tell me something like that and NOT expect me to get excited. Well, it did work out that Kaiwi did not have to leave. I felt so much anxiety lifted from me. I still knew we had a lot of hard things ahead, but I could deal with it now. I felt a JOY and a PEACE instead of dread. I knew God was on our side and He would take care of us. It was a direct reminder to TRUST HIM.

Kaiwi not having to leave= Prayer answered.

So I could now look forward to Jamie's wedding. The day before flying out we had, though we didn't know at the time, our last ultrasound. I believe I was 32 weeks along, and our baby was so much bigger than last we saw him. All his organs still looked healthy and strong. The nurse showed us where he had a little bit of hair over his ears, and we saw his chest move up and down as he practiced his breathing motions. I remember it was at this appointment that Kaiwi mentioned the name Isaac. I loved it, and it stuck. That was his name from then on.

Our perinatal doctor was wonderful. He was patient and a good listener. We asked him about donating organs and he said it was a very good thing and gave us information on the process. He did remind us gently though, that Isaac would have to be big enough. We also brought up the fact that our OB had scheduled a 39 week C-section for us. Our doctor stopped what he was doing, turned, and looked at us like we were crazy. "WHY?", he asked. So we told him the concerns our OB had, and he simply said, "No, no, no. That's not right. You shouldn't have to have a C-section. I will talk to your doctor". So we left the clinic that day feeling pretty optimistic (and maybe a little guilty for getting our OB in trouble).

The next day I flew out for Jamie's wedding, and Kaiwi flew out a few days later because he couldn't get as much time off from his work. We were able to enjoy that whole week and not worry about Kaiwi leaving and me staying and all the craziness surrounding us. We just had a wonderful time.

Get to Jamie's wedding= Prayer answered.

The way back from the wedding we drove with Kaiwi's parents. They were moving from Wisconsin out to the Northwest near us, so we helped them drive their vehicles out. We were all a little nervous that I would go into labor somewhere along the road but we made it home all right. We left Sunday afternoon and made it here to our house on Thursday morning. We unloaded some things that Kaiwi's parents were giving to us, went out to lunch, and said our goodbyes.

A few hours later I got some signs that labor might be soon (I'll spare you the details). I called the nurse and she said to watch for bleeding or cramping but that it might be nothing. Well, we had an appointment scheduled for Monday morning, so I decided not to worry too much about it and wait. I debated telling my parents because I knew they would want to head out right away to be here, but I didn't want to alarm them if it was nothing. So I didn't tell them. At least not right away. Sorry, Mom and Dad, bad decision. I did tell them not too long after though, and sure enough they started driving out.

So of course when company comes you have to get the house ready, right? My poor husband, I had him run to Costco with me, clean out the guest room, and even put the beds on risers just so I could store things underneath. He also needed a haircut so I had to do that, as well.

Im not exactly sure when the lower back pain started, but it wasn't very strong, and I didn't have any contractions, so I didn't think I was in labor yet.

Well, Sunday evening I started feeling the back pain a little more. It still wasn't painful, though. We went to bed, and I woke up around 12:30am. I still felt the back pain, and this time it was at regular intervals. Still not painful, but I knew we had to go to the hospital. I woke up Kaiwi and told him we should go in. I grabbed my hospital bag that I had packed weeks ago and called my parents. There were at a hotel a few hours away, but they headed out to meet us at the hospital. Kaiwi called his parents, too, and they started driving out as well.

On our drive to the hospital I remembered the morning we drove in when I was 14 weeks along. I was so scared then, but this time it was different. I KNEW this was it, but I didn't feel scared. I felt like this was what we had been preparing for all along. I also saw how God answered some huge prayers for us already and I knew He would be with us. Looking back now I have no idea how I wasn't losing my mind. I am thankful that the Lord helped me to stay calm and clear-headed.

Well after we got settled in the nurses did a check and told me I was already at 5cm. After a few hours the back pain got stronger and more painful. I still never felt any contractions, though. The doctor that was there at the time saw no need for a C-section. He said he had seen plenty of babies in similar condition born without complications.

No C-section = Prayer answered.

Well, about this time I asked for an epidural. It was wonderful. My main reason for getting the epidural was I just didn't want to be overly stressed and tired when Isaac was born. I wanted to be able to spend time with him if he was alive for a short time. If he wasn't I wanted to be able to bear it all as well as I could.

Well, both Kaiwi's parents and mine were all there by the time Isaac was born at 9:42 am on Monday, August 5th, 2013.

He weighed 3 lbs 12 oz and was 15 in long.

There was no heartbeat at the time of delivery.

Needless to say, we were not able to donate Isaac's organs. We were able to spend some time holding him and our parents were able to as well.

Our experience with Isaac was very painful, and yet when I look back on it all I have so many good memories. God showed His love towards us through the support of the people around us, and through all the prayers He answered. As much as we would like Isaac here with us, we know where he is, and we know that we will see him again. We were so blessed to have cared for him the short time he was with us.

If you get to know my family for any length of time you will quickly find out that my husband (and now my son) is all about aviation. My husband has his private pilot's license and goes flying whenever he gets the chance. Unfortunately, time and money limits his flying.

He did manage to take a flight several Saturdays ago. It was only about an hour flight, my husband flew to another nearby airport and did some touch-and-go's before coming back and landing. This was Hayden's very first flight! Ever! He's never even been in a commercial plane. I was a little nervous about how he would react but it went really well!

Flying with a small child is a lot like driving with one. We had him buckled in his car seat in the backseat of the plane. I was right beside him. You don't have to have the car seat rear-facing in the plane, since the event of a collision is very unlikely.

We found some child's ear protection on Amazon and it fit him perfectly. (I'll include a link below) The only downside is it is kind of a pain to get a 1 year old to keep something on his head!

After we were up in the air I got Hayden out of his car seat so he could look out the window. He took a few peeks, but he was pretty much asleep right away and stayed asleep during the whole flight. That was fine by me, because I actually started feeling a little sick. I've never felt sick on a flight before so I hope this isn't something that will happen again!

Anyway, we can't wait to take Hayden flying again! I wouldn't doubt it if we ended up with another pilot in the family someday. This kid can tell you if there's an airplane somewhere before you even know it. He even picked up the sign language sign for airplane the very first time we showed it to him, and he hasn't stopped doing it since!

Last week was my husband's birthday and we spoiled him with this double-layer chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting, 10 Kit Kat bars, and a whole bag of Reese's Pieces! It's so good, but so rich! A small piece is definitely enough you satisfy your sugar cravings.​

On top of the cake, we also have candy around the house now from two Easter Egg hunts this year. It was Hayden's first time doing an egg hunt and he actually did pretty well! He scored a few eggs but was more interested in pinecones and sticks. That boy loves being outside!​

Last week kept us busy for sure and was tons of fun, but it is also nice to get back to the normal routine!

We've had family visiting the last few weeks so I haven't had much time to write! That's a good thing though, since time spent with family is so much more valuable than time spend online.

Anyway, while both sets of grandparents were here we had an early 1st birthday celebration for Hayden. We went with the airplane theme again (poor kid, he doesn't stand a chance). We hung some clouds made with cotton balls and cardstock to the ceiling fan and put out our little collection of planes on the table. Hayden already has an obsession with ceiling fans, so hanging something on them as well really made his day!

I didn't do anything fancy with his cake. Its a boxed mix and a few cans of white frosting. I just tinted a little of the frosting blue, and then piped on some clouds with the remaining white frosting. I reused his little pilot rubber duckie from my baby shower as a topper. I thought it would encourage him to dig in, but apparently, redheaded babies don't like cake!

Overall it was a pretty short and sweet little party but I think we all enjoyed watching Hayden's disgust towards his cake!

Nobody warned me about how quickly babies grow up! Ok, that's a lie, but you can't really understand how true it is until you realize your baby is growing up! Our little guy is now 10 months and cuter than ever!

Hayden's favorite things currently are his walker, strings (yes, plain old strings- he's obsessed), pointing at EVERYTHING, lots of cute baby babbles, and French fries. He's a generally happy guy, but cutting four top teeth at the same time makes him pretty needy sometimes! He is doing the GI Joe scoot across the floor, and refuses to get up him knees unless he is trying to climb up into my lap. He is also eating lots more solids and I believe that's a big reason why he is sleeping so well at night! He usually only wakes once in the early morning to eat a few minutes and then back to sleep. Mommy loves getting a good night's sleep!

The beginning of October brought my birthday with it, so we celebrated by breakfast at the airport where Hayden loved watching the planes take off and land. We also bummed around the mall and had supper at the Cheesecake Factory! Unfortunately, Im still going dairy-free for Hayden's sake, so no cheesecake for me! I enjoyed watching Daddy eat his, though! :)

Mid-October we took a fun trip to the pumpkin patch. Hayden was fascinated by the animals, but only at a distance. He did NOT like the little goat licking his hand!

The end of October, Daddy had his second hand surgery for the injury to his finger. He had an accident while doing some woodworking and lost just the tip of his middle finger. Fortunately, it did not get the bone, so it should heal up pretty well! He had several surgeries to hopefully graft some skin to the injured area. He's now doing some physical therapy to get his hand moving and functional again. We are just thankful it wasn't worse!

October went way too fast, and November is following the same pattern, apparently. I can't believe we are halfway through already! We are excited that Daddy's parents are coming to stay with us for a few weeks soon! We'll be able to spend Thanksgiving together and maybe do something special for Hayden's 1st birthday!

Me? Well, this month I've just been doing the everyday activities of a stay-at-home mom and wife and loving it! I'm so grateful to God and my husband that its possible for me to spend my days caring for our son and watching him grow and learn. I get to take Hayden to our community center for playgroup every week where I can hang out with some other moms while the kids play. I also have been loving Hayden's more predictable daily routine lately (he's been taking better naps), since I've been able to get a little more crafting in!

I can't believe how big my baby is getting!! He is now almost 8 months, and he is such a happy, curious, playful guy. He is rolling (finally!) from tummy to back and I have a suspicion that he could roll from back to tummy as well, but since he hates tummy time why would he do that? He's making lots of new sounds, like "lalala", the "b" sound, the "g" sound, the "n" sound, and lots of incoherent babbling. I just love hearing him find his little voice.

He has also been doing well in the food/eating department! He isn't gobbling down the solids like I thought he would, but he is actually starting to swallow the bites I give him instead of gagging on them, so that's progress! He will gnaw on a banana or a piece of avocado as well. So far we have tried rice cereal, banana, applesauce, avocado, carrots, sweet potato, and a few other items, I'm sure. I'm still careful to monitor what he is eating, since he is sensitive to dairy and soy. We consulted with a GI doctor, and she told us we could start introducing some of those things back in around 10mo. Since I have changed my diet to eliminate all dairy and soy, though, his diapers have cleared up and all looks normal (I'm sure you want details, right?)!

So far he also tolerates posing for his monthly photos. I'll take advantage of that as long as possible!

This little man entered our lives almost 4 months ago now! I can't believe so much time has passed! He's a pretty happy guy. He currently loves chatting with anyone who will listen, looking in mirrors, peek-a-boo, and a few days ago we put him in his walker for the first time and he had a blast!

When he was born he weighed a whopping 6lbs 4oz. After we left the hospital he dropped to 5lbs 7oz. I constantly worried about his weight for the first few months, but he nurses like a champ and puts on weight wonderfully! He's still small on the percentile chart, but the doc says he's proportional and is totally fine.

Right now we are dealing with a few issues with his nursing, though. He has been showing some symptoms that our doctor tells us is classic for milk protein intolerance. So for the last week Ive been trying to cut out all dairy- the obvious sources as well as the hidden ones. After reading more about it, Ive also cut out soy, since that can cause problems, too. I didn't realize how many things have soy in it! Reading the labels on all our food, there's about 80% of stuff I now cannot eat. It's going to be a huge challenge to keep up with this change in my diet but Im going to give it my best shot!

About Us...

Welcome! My name is Marie, and I have been married for 5 years now. We have one beautiful son, Isaac, waiting for us in Heaven and another son, Hayden, here with us! I hope to share with you more about our journey- where we have been and where we are going.Please, take a look around and enjoy!